CRESSI XS-II-48 Dry Suits Instruction Manual

DIRECTION FOR USE
DRY SUITS

XS-II-48 Dry Suits

QUALITY PRODUCTS SINCE 1946 www.cressi.com

DIRECTION FOR USE DRY SUITS

The PPE covered by this instruction manual has been type-tested and certified in accordance with EU Regulation 2016/425 and in accordance with the harmonized standard EN 14225-2:2017 by Notified Body No. 0474 RINA, Via Corsica 12, 16128 GENOVA. The wetsuits described therein are manufactured by Cressi Sub, Via  Gelasio Adamoli, 501 – 16165 Genova, Italy. The EU Declaration of Conformity for this PPE can be viewed at: www.cressi.com, in the “DOWNLOAD” area.

INTRODUCTION
This manual describes use, care and risks related to diving dry suits. Please read it wholly and carefully, taking care to understand thoroughly all its notes before using your suit.

DESCRIPTION

The main peculiarity of a dry suit is insulating the human body completely from the water, therefore protecting it by the cold in order to make diving more comfortable. The water is prevented from getting in by special joints in the fabric and seams on the arms, legs and around the neck. It is possible to put it on thanks to a special watertight zip fastener. In order to balance the internal pressure increase or decrease due to the depth, air is introduced or discharged by means of two valves placed on the chest and on the left arm.

CONDITIONS OF USE

Cressi watertight dry suits are made by production processes and using materials that make them highly reliable and lasting. In order not to damage their quality and your personal safety we recommend you though to follow determinate conditions of use.

• Although a dry suit is produced in order to carry out dives in low temperature water, the risk always exists of damages due to a decrease of physiologic functions because of the cold. Water temperatures lower than 21° C (70° F) mean cold water. Water temperatures lower than 5° C (40° F) mean freezing water. Diving in freezing water is highly dangerous and requires special equipment, training and procedures.
• We recommend not to use your dry suit in contaminated environments or presenting high concentrations of hydrocarbons.  The contact with petrol or oils during the usual operations carried out onboard, for instance, could affect your suit’s integrity.
• Moreover, we recommend to use your dry suit only for the specific use it was produced for and to avoid any use other than thermic protection during the dive.
• Always avoid impacts or abrasions, especially when in water.

WARNING!  This dry suit must be worn only by individuals who have attended a specific training course for its use or who are accompanied by a licensedinstructor. Before wearing your dry suit in open water, we recommend to get used to all its functions in a delimitated area (swimming-pool). Use the equipment you would use in open water.

• Before any dive, it is always recommended for your own safety to have carried out all the emergency procedures foreseen by special training courses. After getting your licence, it is always recommended to practice and dive regularly. Should you not follow this indications, you might be led to dangerous unchecked resurfacing or balance control losses. The consequences might be very dangerous for your own personal safety.
• Never exceed the maximum depth reported in your diving licence.
• Do not use your dry suit as a floating or rescuing device, since it does not keep your head out of water.
• As a floating device on surface and for your own safety, use a balancing self-inflating jacket. Its function will be helping by floating: it won’t though replace a floating or rescuing device, since it does not keep your head out of water.
• Dry suit and balancing jacket do not and must not replace swimming.
• Do not wear your dry suit with any ballast systems which are not equipped with rapid release devices.
• It is unavoidable to know your own equipment and every related emergency procedure thoroughly.
• We recommend to read the directions for use of the whole equipment to be used with your dry suit.
• Never dive wearing any equipment which does not work as it should. Always apply to an authorized centre for any problem.
• Never dive by yourself. Always dive with a partner which is well acquainted with your dry suit and equipment. Always be sure there are people ashore or on board which are able to help you in case of emergency.
• Be aware of your own limits and do not exceed them.
• Under your dry suit, you should always wear a thermic undersuit.

MATERIALS AND COMPONENTS

Cressi dry suits are made of neoprene or tri-laminated sheets.
Their function is to insulate the skin from the water, reducing the dispersion of warmth. The sheets are bound with each other by means of a special glue and/or stitches which avoid water infiltrations.
A watertight metallic zip fastener is inserted to make easier to put on the suit.
Watertight zip fastener
The watertight zip fastener allows putting on the suit more easily, thanks to its wide opening, and guarantees a reliable protection from the external environment. By means of its teeth, it unites two rubber edges which prevent the water from getting in. It may be placed in front crosswise or behind your shoulders horizontally; an overlapping flap improves the comfort and protects it from impacts and abrasions.
We recommend to ask your partner for help by opening and closing your zip fastener.
Low pressure pipe
The low pressure pipe leads air to the dry suit’ s valve. It must be connected to one of the LP UNF 3/8” low pressure hole of the regulator’ s first stage or to another low pressure air source. The maximum pressure must be 15 bar (225 psi.). It is connected to the valve by means of a quick connection like the b.c.d`s hose. To connect the pipe to the valve, move back the end, push the hose onto the nipple and release it. Check the connection by slightly pulling the hose.
To disconnect the hose, pull back the sleeve end and remove it. The hose can be connected or disconnected even when under pressure and underwater.
WARNING!  Only use the original Cressi hoses supplied. If you need to replace them, we recommend using Cressi hoses.
Inlet valve
The inlet valve is the air source to inflate the dry suit and it is placed on its chest.
It must be connected to the low pressure port. You can introduce air inside your dry suit by pressing the inlet button placed either on the side or in the centre. The valve must not let water in or discharge air if it is not connected to the hose.
Outlet valve
The outlet valve discharges the air in excess which may have gathered inside the dry suit, without letting water in. It is placed on the upper left arm close to the left shoulder. You can discharge air either manually or automatically:

1. When manually, you have to press its cap with your right hand keeping your arm raised towards the surface.
2. The air will be discharged automatically, when it reaches a particular pressure inside the suit. Such pressures can be limited by screwing and unscrewing the outside cap: turning it clockwise will open at a greater internal pressure; anti clockwise will open at a lower internal pressure. Such adjustments determine the quantity of air necessary to keep a basic balance.

THERMIC PROTECTION

The thermic protection guaranteed by your dry suits depends on the following main factors:

• Water temperature
• Diver’s morphology
• Diver’s physiology
• Diver’s weariness
• Material’s thermic properties

Some of them do not depend on the product’s peculiarities: therefore, it is important to be aware of one’s own predisposition to the environmental changes of temperature.
Although a dry suit is produced to dive in low temperature water, the risk exists of pathologies due to a decrease of physiologic functions because of the cold. Water temperatures lower than 21° C (70° F) mean cold water. Water temperatures lower than 5° C (40° F) mean freezing water. Diving in freezing water is highly dangerous and requires special equipment, training and procedures.
**WARNING!  During dives, dangerous situations may occur, when the body gets excessively warm or cold (hyperthermic and hypothermic conditions).
Therefore, by wearing your dry suit on surface in the summer or in tropical areas, avoid standing long in the sun, both when you are more or less tired. In the same way, avoid staying long in cold water or on surface by wintry climates. We recommend to wear your wet suit always together with thermic undersuits, thermic socks, thick gloves and hood (if not included in the dry suit), in any situation when the water temperature might expose the diver to the risk of hypothermic conditions.
Thermic under-suit**
In order to protect the diver from the cold, that might cause his physiological conditions to be reduced, it is very important to wear a thermic under-suit correctly. This must be adequate to the meteorological conditions, to the water temperature, to the kind of dive you are going to carry out and to your own physiology.

Hood
The hood is very important, since it protects your head from the cold. If your dry suit does not include a hood, please consider one with a minimal thickness of 5 mm and be sure it envelops your neck without being too loose.
Gloves
 It is very important keeping your hands warm, so that you may always be able to control your equipment during the dive. Use gloves with adequate thickness as to the water temperature. In freezing water, we recommend 7 mm thick three-fingered gloves.

HOW TO PUT ON YOUR DRY SUIT

It is very important that the dry suit adapts itself to the diver’s body correctly, clinging to it without being too tight. Be sure you are able to unite your hands over your head, to touch your toes and to bend your knees without any hindrances.
It is very important that the dry suit does not hinder your chest’ s expansion in any way: we recommend therefore to simulate deep breathing. You must also pay attention that your suit is perfectly watertight at your neck, wrists and ankles, without being too tight. Should your suit be too tight, the blood flow to your hands, feet and head would be blocked, causing you to loose sensitivity or to faint. On the contrary, a too loose suit will let the air flow inside it, inducing a flux that might cause serious balancing problems. You must choose your suits size so that you are able to move easily, and too wide air -pockets are avoided. In order to choose the Cressi dry suit standard size that most adapts to your own, please refer to the following table.

SIZE CHART MEN’S

SIZE| WEIGHT| HEIGHT| CHEST| WAIST| HIP| FOOT
---|---|---|---|---|---|---
kg| ibs| cm| inch| cm| inch| cm| inch| cm| inch| EU| UK| US
XS/II/48| 60/68| 132/150| 164/170| 65/67| 78/83| 31/33| 65/71| 25/28| 78/83| 31/33| 40/42| 7/8| 7,5/8,5
M/III/50| 70/78| 154/172| 169/175| 67/69| 86/91| 34/36| 71/77| 28/30| 84/89| 33/35| 41/43| 7,5/8,5| 8/9
L/IV/52| 80/88| 176/194| 174/180| 69/71| 94/99| 37/39| 77/78| 30/33| 90/95| 35/37| 42/44| 8/10| 8,5/10,5
XL/V/54| 90/98| 198/216| 179/185| 71/73| 102/107| 40/42| 83/89| 33/35| 96/101| 38/40| 43/45| 8.5/11| 9/11,5
XXL/VI/56| 100/108| 220/238| 184/190| 73/75| 110/115| 43/45| 89/95| 35/37| 102/107| 40/42| 44/46| 10/11,5| 10,5/12

SIZE CHART WOMAN’S

SIZE| WEIGHT| HEIGHT| CHEST| WAIST| HIP| FOOT
---|---|---|---|---|---|---
kg| ibs| cm| inch| cm| inch| cm| inch| cm| inch| EU| UK| US
XS/I/42| 47/52| 104/115| 157/162| 65/67| 77/82| 30/32| 56/61| 22/24| 83/87| 32/34| 37/39| 4,5/6,5| 5/7
S/II/44| 53/58| 117/128| 162/167| 67/69| 82/87| 32/34| 60/65| 24/26| 87/91| 34/36| 38/40| 5,5/7| 6/7,5
M/III/46| 59/64| 130/141| 167/172| 69/71| 87/92| 34/36| 64/69| 25/27| 91/95| 36/37| 39/41| 6,5/7,5| 7/8
L/IV/48| 64/70| 141/154| 172/177| 71/73| 92/97| 36/38| 68/73| 27/29| 95/99| 37/39| 40/42| 7/8| 7,5/8,5
XL/V/50| 70/80| 154/176| 177/182| 73/75| 97/102| 38/40| 72/77| 28/30| 99/103| 39/41| 41/43| 7,5/8,5| 9-Aug

Here follows how you are to wear your dry suit correctly:

1. Check the neoprene or latex seams for cracks, cuts or any other damages.
2. Check that the zip fastener works well, sliding without hindrances and is free from any foreign body.
3. Do not wear rings, bracelets, watches or necklaces that might damage the neoprene or latex seams, scratch the leather or get damaged themselves.
4. Turn your dry suit’s trunk and fold it on your legs from the waist downwards.
5. If possible, sit down, put your foot into the suit’s leg holding it at the level of its calf and push your foot down to the neoprene shoe, then put the suit on the rest of your leg.
6. Do the same with your other leg.
7. Lift your dry suit until its crotch is at the right level.
8. Place the braces on your shoulders and adjust them so that the crotch is well lifted.
9. Put your arm into the sleeve and wear it up to the watertight cuff, helping yourself with your other hand and paying attention not to damage it with your fingernails. Adjust it well on your wrist so that there are no creases. You may apply some talcum or bath-soap in order to get such operation easier.
10. Do the same with your other arm.
11. After that, lift the watertight collar to the level of your head and slightly widen it holding its upper part with both your hands (fingers inside, thumbs outside). Place the collar so that it clings well and comfortably to your neck. If your collar’s outside is made of smooth neoprene, we recommend to fold it inside for about 7-10 cm, so that the smooth side touches your neck.
12. Ask your partner to close your zip fastener: raise your arms to the level of the shoulders and bend them at the elbows so that your thumbs front each other. In such way, the zip fastener is stretched enough to be easily closed, by way of a straight continuous pulling, taking care it does not get caught anywhere. Make sure the slider gets to the stop, in order to avoid accidental opening or water infiltrations. Make sure it is correctly closed.
13. Remove the air in excess crouching down and inserting softly two fingers of both hands into the collar, or turning the outlet valve anticlockwise, until you can feel the air flux.
14. Wear the hood, if not included in the dry suit.
15. Wear the ballast and the tank with your balancing jacket.
16. Connect the hose to the inlet valve, checking its seal.

ALLERGY

The materials in which a dry suit is made, very seldom cause allergys. Before buying or wearing it, we recommend to make sure you are not allergic to neoprene, polyester or nylon, butyl rubber, latex or polyurethane. If in doubt, please see a doctor.
WHAT YOU MUST CHECK BEFORE A DIVE
Before any dive make sure of your dry suits good conditions, checking its joints, fabric and seams. Check that the zip fastener works well and is complete, making sure there is no foreign body between its teeth, and clean and grease it when necessary. Check carefully the hoses connecting device to the valve, make sure there is no damage or foreign body hindering its connection and seal. Check the condition of the hoses rubber part.
What you must check before getting into the water
Check that the hose is correctly connected and does not hinder you from reaching for the rest of the equipment. Check that the inlet and outlet valves work well, by introducing and discharging some air. Ask your partner to check that your zip fastener is correctly closed.
WARNING!
Do not use any gas other than air to inflate your dry suit. Using Nitrox (hyper-oxygenate mixtures) might cause fires or explosions. Using Argon you run the risk it penetrates into your mask and breathing device through the hood. Breathing Argon implies a very higher danger of narcotic risk than nitrogen, since its molecular weight is greater.
WARNING!
Getting into water with an open zip fastener might cause damages or even drowning, since the dry suit will be flooded at once. Make sure it is perfectly closed, especially when you are in open sea or on board.

DURING A DIVE

As the pressure increases along with the depth, the dry suit and the inside air undergo a pressure that affects remarkably their floating capacity.
Therefore, you must always be aware that at certain depths a diver’s balance tends to become negative:
the safest way to compensate is wearing a jacket and, when necessary, introducing a small quantity of air into the dry suit, in order to avoid the uncomfortable squeeze effect. We therefore recommend to attend a training course at a licensed underwater diving centre. You should also to remember that the quantity of ballast to be used is important as well: generally, it must allow the diver to keep a neutral balance with the reserve tank at the depth of –3 m.
Another remarkable aspect bound to the increasing depth and pressure on the dry suit and inside air is the loss of insulating capacity, causing the human body to get colder.
The protecting layer gets thinner because of the pressure, and loses part of its peculiarities, allowing a greater thermic interchange between the body and the environment. Divers who are going to stay long in deep water must pay attention to their becoming colder and protect themselves by means of under- suits or thicker dry suits, in order to avoid dangerous hypothermic conditions.

1. Make sure you are wearing the whole equipment properly.
2. Close the outlet valve turning it clockwise, and introduce some air before getting into the water.
3. Inflate the jacket.
4. Get into the water with your feet first.
5. Open the valve fully turning it anticlockwise and raise the upper part of your arm, so that it is in the highest possible position. The air starts flowing out and you may start going down with your feet first.
6. After descending for about a couple of meters, close the valve turning it clockwise for a quarter of a turn and introduce air, in order to reduce the pressure of the dry suit on your body.
7. During the descent, remember to introduce air from time to time, in order to reduce the pressure of the dry suit.
8. After reaching the desired depth, introduce air into the jacket until the balance is neutral.
9. When you decide to surface, discharge the jacket, and do not forget to do the same with the dry suit.
10. While surfacing, the outlet valve discharges the air in excess automatically, as you raise the upper part of your left arm. From time to time and when necessary, you may discharge more air, by fully opening the valve anticlockwise or pressing it on the cap. Surface slowly at the rate of 10 mtrs per minute.
11. After reaching the surface, close the valve fully turning it clockwise and introduce a small quantity of air. Inflate your jacket to float more easily.

WARNING!

• Surfacing too rapidly might cause serious damages and even death. Therefore do not try using your dry suit as a floating device. Losing your ballast may cause a rapid uncontrolled resurfacing.
• Inflating your dry suit during the dive has the only aim to create a further protection against the cold, improving the insulating layer between your skin and the water. When the dry suit is subject to the water’ s pressure in fact, you will feel at once the squeeze effect and your body getting colder.
• In order to avoid dangerous uncontrolled head down resurfacing, do not introduce too much air in your suit and keep your trunk at a lower depth than your feet.
• Whenever you get the slightest feeling of too much air at your feet’ s zone, place them at once downwards, crouch and discharge your suit.
• Whenever you have to take this position, always remember to discharge your suit. If the feets zone gets too inflated, you might also loose your fins.
• If the inflating valve starts introducing air in an irregular way, disconnect the hose at once and resurface.
• If you are not able to inflate your dry suit or if it is losing a lot of air, use your jacket to get back to a neutral balance and resurface at once.
• In case of bumping, get rid of your ballast and try checking your resurfacing.
• In the remote possibility that the outlet valve is blocked, we recommend to discharge air from the wrist or neck seams, widening them with your hands and bending them towards the surface.
• Take care not to widen them too much, since this will cause the air to flow out, but the water will get in as well.

How to take off your dry suit

1. On surface, disconnect the low pressure pipe from the inlet valve and start taking off your tanks and jacket. Take off your hood, if not included in the suit.
2. Ask your partner to help you opening your zip fastener.
3. Slightly widen your watertight collar, holding its upper part with both your hands (fingers inside, thumbs outside). Raise it and get your head out, taking care not to damage it with your fingernails.
4. Remove the wrists seams by inserting softly two fingers of your opposite hand down to the sleeve inside lining. Holding sleeve and cuff between your fingers and palm, pull them carefully and in the meanwhile take your hand out (be careful with your fingernails). Take off your sleeve and do the same with your other arm.
5. Take off the rest of your dry suit by being seated.

WHAT YOU MUST CHECK AFTER A DIVE
After any dive, check your suit for any damage: in presence of any, have it repaired at once. In case of particular operations, we recommend to refer to an authorized Cressi centre. After any dive, your suit must be checked and got ready for the next one carefully and systematically.

CLEANING AND DISINFECTION

Clean and rinse your dry suit in fresh water after every dive.
Before doing so, close the zip fastener and hang your dry suit head down and feet up. Rinse it letting the water flow downwards and remove sand or dirt by means of a soft sponge.
Let it dry in the shadow leaving the zip fastener open, in order to dry off the inside dampness. The dampness caused by sweat and small infiltrations might otherwise originate bad smells.
When the suit is dry, hang it on a steady and edgeless dress hanger.
Place your rubber shoes on the floor. From time to time, we recommend to wash them carefully by hand using a neutral soap solution. No dry clean, machine wash, bleach or iron.

HAND WASH IN COLD WATER
DO NOT DRY CLEAN
DO NOT BLEACH
HANG IN THE SHADE TO DRY
DO NOT USE A DRYER
DO NOT IRON

WARNING!

• Never use petrol, trichloroethylene, turpentine or the like to clean your suit.
• The contact with such products must be absolutely avoided: should it occur, we recommend to rinse and wash the part at once.

CARE AND MAINTENANCE

A careful care of your suit will help you to keep it longer, and your dives will be dry and comfortable.
Regularly carry out both preventive care and repairs. An improper care might cause dangerous damages and even death: we therefore recommend to refer to an authorized Cressi assistance centre for any check and repair of your suit, valves and pipe.
Do it more frequently in case of continuous and prolonged use.
If your wet suit needs interventions or repairs which are not described in this manual, please refer to an authorized Cressi retailer or assistance centre.
Fabric care
You should always check the fabric for any cuts or perforations: in case, we recommend to stop them with neoprene putty or the special glue. Take care of the joints, checking them for any damage. Take particular care of the knees’ and elbows’ zones.
Watertight zip fastener care
It is very important to keep and clean the zip fastener properly, since it is one of the main elements allowing the wet suit to work well.
It must be cleaned periodically to remove sand and dirt that might hinder its working and seal. Open it completely and clean the spaces between its teeth with a brush. Around the teeth, smooth spaces, when united, prevent the water from getting in:
clean them and apply a film of vaseline. Should you find it difficult to open or close it, close it and grease its metallic outside part with paraffin wax, along its whole length. We recommend NOT to use silicon sprays.
Cuffs and collar care
The seal cuffs and collar do not require any particular care, other than keeping them cleaned protected with a thin layer of talc and out of direct sunlight. Should they present cuts or holes, stop them with a glue or refer to an authorized Cressi centre to replace them.
In models with latex necks and collars, the circumference can be increased, customizing the suit to your measurements, by cutting along the reference rings on the inner side. Work carefully, cutting only 1/2 rings at a time and checking the fit each time to avoid over-widening. This could allow water to enter, and the cuffs or collar would have to be replaced with new. We recommend that you contact an Authorized Cressi Center if you have any questions about customizing your suit.
Valves care
The outlet valve requires small care. After any dive, always rinse it very carefully in fresh water and check it for any residuals that might hinder its working or damage its seal. In such case, remove them completely. Do the same with the inlet valve, checking carefully its quick connection and inlet button. Rinse and clean the hose as well, checking it for cuts and holes.
Repair kit
Some models are equipped with a repair kit for small interventions. Should the dry suit present water infiltrations, look for the hole and mark the area with chalk. Clean the area perfectly with soap and warm water and rinse it. Apply the glue and the patch, and press well. Let it dry.

STORAGE AND TRANSPORT

Keep your wet suit on a dedicated drysuit hanger. Apply talcum on the cuffs and collar, leave the zip fastener open. In order to avoid dangerous moulds, the suit must be perfectly dry and clean, especially inside. Keep in a dark, cool and dry place. Do not fold your suit, avoid any compression of the fabric. Avoid the presence of ozone generators, engines or chemical solvents. Carry it in a sufficiently large bag for underwater equipment. Fold it so that its sleeves and zip fastener enwrap the rest, not at clean angles but at wide range arch. Avoid the contact with sharp tools.
DISPOSAL
Always comply with the law of the country in which you dispose of your wet/ dry suit.

Cressi Sub S.p.A.
Headquarters:
Via G. Adamoli, 501 16165 Genova,
Italy www.cressi.com
Rev_03_2022
+ 39 010 830791
info@cressi.com www.cressi.com

References

• Cressi | Cressi Professional Scuba Diving Equipment | Cressi Professional scuba diving equipment

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